BitSummit PUNCH Sees a Boom in Special Input Method Games
The proliferation of games with unconventional controllers at a mainstream indie showcase suggests that experimental input methods are moving from niche hobbyist corners into broader public awareness and playability.
Key Facts
- Smile Muscle Trainer by Software Control is a running game where the player's smile, detected by camera, makes the protagonist jump.
- EnthuBike is a peripheral that turns a DualSense controller into a motorcycle handlebar for PS5 racing games.
- BitSummit PUNCH in Kyoto featured a cluster of games with unconventional input methods, which 4Gamer.net called a minor boom.
- The developer of Smile Muscle Trainer cited pandemic-era facial muscle decline as the original inspiration for the game.
Reporting from 1 source: 4Gamer.net.
At the indie game event BitSummit PUNCH, a notable number of games using unusual input devices were exhibited, including a smile-controlled running game and a motorcycle handlebar peripheral for the DualSense controller. The trend was observed both in dedicated special-input booths and regular exhibition spaces.
BitSummit PUNCH, held this year in Kyoto, featured a visible cluster of games that replace standard controllers with everything from facial expressions to custom hardware. The phenomenon was concentrated enough that 4Gamer.net called it a minor boom, noting that such titles appeared not only in the dedicated make.ctrl.Japan area but also in regular booths across the show floor.
Among the standouts was Smile Muscle Trainer by Software Control, a running game where the player's own smile-detected by camera-makes the protagonist jump. The developer cited pandemic-era facial muscle decline as the original inspiration. Another notable exhibit was EnthuBike, a peripheral that turns a DualSense into a motorcycle handlebar, usable with commercial PS5 racing games. The device uses the controller's internal gyro and throttle inputs to lean and accelerate.
- Smile Muscle Trainer: A running game operated by the player's smile, detected via camera; from Software Control.
- EnthuBike Motorcycle handlebar controller: A peripheral that attaches a DualSense to create a motorcycle handlebar for PS5 racing games.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.